


Everything You Want

by islndgurl777



Series: give michael guerin a friend 2k19 (make that friend maria deluca) [14]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Gen, Michael is a good brother and friend, everyone is still super queer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-02-09 15:19:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18640756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/islndgurl777/pseuds/islndgurl777
Summary: “I’ve been seeing someone,” Isobel blurts as they’re in the middle of hauling her new couch into her new living room.Michael lifts his eyebrows in surprise and glances over at Max, who has paused in the doorway, two boxes of kitchenware stacked high in his arms.“Iz…” Max starts, setting down the boxes. “Are you sure--”“Yes,” she says, nodding definitively as she slowly lowers her end of the couch. “It’s not like we’re serious though. We agreed to keep it casual.”Michael sets his end down and brushes his hands on his jeans. “Congratulations, I guess?”





	Everything You Want

**Author's Note:**

> The first part of this goes just before part 5 of "Closer" and after the end of "Lovefool"; part 2 is after the +1 in "Closer", if you're keeping up the with the fics in this AU stream that are outside of this series. If you're not, you'll be able to figure it out by context I think.
> 
> Just know I handwaved the stuff with Noah; he was evil and now he's gone. Don't ask how/where bc I have no idea. This AU is way softer than canon okay. 
> 
> Unbeta'd, and I've been sick all weekend so my usual keen eye may not be that great. LMK if there are any super glaring errors. Title from Vertical Horizon.

“I’ve been seeing someone,” Isobel blurts as they’re in the middle of hauling her new couch into her new living room.

 

Michael lifts his eyebrows in surprise and glances over at Max, who has paused in the doorway, two boxes of kitchenware stacked high in his arms. 

 

“Iz…” Max starts, setting down the boxes. “Are you sure--”

 

“Yes,” she says, nodding definitively as she slowly lowers her end of the couch. “It’s not like we’re serious though. We agreed to keep it casual.”

 

Michael sets his end down and brushes his hands on his jeans. “Congratulations, I guess?”

 

Isobel sends him a quick grin and nods in thanks. “I just wanted you guys to know, in the interest of full disclosure, and, you know, making sure we’re not keeping any major secrets from each other anymore.”

 

“What’s his name? What’s he like?” Max asks, hands resting on his hips in full-on cop-brother mode.

 

Isobel rolls her eyes and says, “There’s no need for a background check. I’m not telling you  _ her _ name.” She waits a few seconds for that to sink in before she shrugs and continues, “I like her. A lot. And she makes me feel safe.”

 

Michael and Max exchange a look and both move closer to her. “Did you not feel safe before?” Max asks, voice rough.

 

Isobel rolls her eyes again and says, “Of course I did, but this is different. I just… know I can trust her in a way I didn’t with Noah, okay?”

 

Michael’s concerned look clears and he says, “Oh, so you,” and he lifts his hand up to wiggle his fingers around her temple.

 

She scoffs and whacks his hand away. “You’re spending too much time with Mimi if you’re resorting to wiggling fingers instead of your words.”

 

He smirks at her and says, “Don’t act like you don’t love having a mom figure who knows all about us, and don’t act like you aren’t charmed by her ‘alien powers’ mannerisms.”

 

Her lips quirk and she shrugs.

 

Max rolls his eyes and brings the original topic back around. “You’re sure you can trust her, Iz?”

 

“I’m sure, Max.”

 

He looks at her for a long time before he nods and says, “Okay.” 

 

They’re hauling in another set of boxes when Max, sounding a little nervous, says, “You know, in the interest of full disclosure and all that…”

 

Isobel drops her boxes and turns to him, eyes wide. “You’re going to ask Liz to marry you?”

 

He shakes his head, smiling a little, “No.”

 

“Liz is pregnant?” she asks, voice going up about three octaves as she covers her mouth in shock.

 

“No!” he says on a laugh. “Liz and I…” He shrugs and blurts, “We’re going to ask Kyle to date us?”

 

The room is silent for at least thirty seconds while Isobel and Michael absorb that information. Then, “You don’t sound so sure about that, Maxie.”

 

Isobel punches Michael in the arm and says, “Shut up, it’s cute. He’s obviously very nervous to ask him out. It’s like Liz all over again.”

 

Max rolls his eyes and suppresses his grin when Michael nods and says, “Apologies. Hey, at least this time it doesn’t fall a hundred percent on you! With Liz’s help, I’m sure you can close the deal in less than five years…”

 

Max takes a halfhearted swipe at him as they head out for another load of boxes. Isobel follows, rolling her eyes and muttering, “Guys are so dumb.”

 

///

 

Daisy is sitting patiently on Michael’s bed, eyes fixed on him, tail thumping back and forth in a soothing rhythm.

 

Michael glances at her as he tosses another shirt into the growing pile of discarded items next to her. “What?” he says defensively.

 

Her ears perk up, tail wagging a little faster, and she answers with a little yip.

 

“You’re no help,” he grumbles, and he adds a pair of jeans with an oil stain on the knee to the pile.

 

She trods over the pile and jumps off the bed, brushing against his leg as she goes, and sits down in front of the door, eyes fixed on the knob. He’s about to ask her if she wants to be let out when someone knocks, startling him. He hadn’t heard anyone pull up.

 

“Who is it?” he calls, using his foot to nudge Daisy out of the way, blocking her body with his.

 

“Michael.” It’s Maria, but she sounds...off.

 

He opens the door with his powers, still standing back, and Maria looks up at him, eyes red from crying. “What’s wrong? Is it Mimi? What happened?”

 

Maria steps up into the airstream and shakes her head. “She’s fine, nothing’s wrong. I just went for a walk to clear my head and somehow ended up here.” She shrugs and sends him a watery smile as she sits down on the edge of his bed. “Guess my body knew where I needed to go before my brain did.”

 

He turns to fill a glass of water for her as Daisy jumps back on the bed and settles her head in Maria’s lap. She starts petting her head, nodding in thanks when Michael passes the water over to her.

 

“What’s going on?” he asks, leaning on the counter across from her.

 

She taps her fingers on the side of the glass and bites her lip. “I’ve been doing the friends with benefits thing with someone for a while now, and I recently realized I want more than that from them and I don’t know what to do.”

 

Michael nods, arms crossed over his chest. “Ah, an old classic.”

 

Maria snorts, fingers digging into Daisy’s fur, making the dog writhe in pleasure. “Yeah, it’s the worst.”

 

“Have you told them what you want from them? In my--very, very limited--romantic experience, the only way to be sure you get what you want is to ask for it. And if they’re not willing to give that to you, at least you’ll know for sure.”

 

Maria stares at him for a long time, frozen until Daisy whines and Maria starts scratching her again. “That was surprisingly wise of you, Guerin.”

 

He shrugs and gives her a half-smile. “What can I say? Old dogs can learn new tricks.”

 

She laughs and looks down at Daisy, biting her lip in thought for a minute before she starts. “I used to like her in high school, for a very brief time when Rosa and I were ‘off’. We got drunk and made out at a party. An experiment on her part, I always thought. That’s all it’s ever been until a few months ago, when she left her abusive husband and was looking for a way to forget.”

 

Michael’s eyes widen because that story sounds vaguely familiar. He bites his lip and says slowly, “That sounds... complicated.”

 

Maria nods, her words coming faster. “It is! She’s trying to figure out who she is without him, exploring her sexuality, which of course I have no problem with, but we said we’d keep it casual, only I haven’t been seeing anyone else, and she had said, she  _ told me _ she wasn’t going to see anyone because she couldn’t  _ trust _ anyone else, and now she  _ is _ ? Now she’s seeing someone?” She locks eyes with Michael, though he doesn’t know if she can see him through her tears. “And I know we agreed on casual, but it’s common courtesy to tell your friend/booty call that you’re seeing someone else, isn’t it?”

 

“Hey, hey,” Michael says, kneeling in front of her and cupping her face in his hands. He thumbs away the tears that have spilled over and pushes his forehead into hers. “Breathe, DeLuca.” She nods, knocking her head against his, and breathes deep. After she’s calmed down some he says, “I agree, a friend/booty call should tell you when they start seeing someone else, but, Maria,” he says, kissing her forehead with a laugh. Her story was definitely very familiar. “I’m pretty sure the only person Isobel’s seeing is you.”

 

Maria rears back and gapes for a second before her eyebrows come together in frustration. “But  _ you _ said! You said the other night before your birthday party that she was  _ dating _ someone! She hasn’t been dating me!”

 

He feels a little guilty about that, so he shakes his head and explains, “I used the word ‘dating’, yes. I think the way she phrased it was ‘casually seeing someone’. I was just giving her shit because she didn’t want to tell us who it was.”

 

“Wha--but she didn’t correct your use of the word!” Maria argues.

 

Michael shakes his head and shifts to sit on the floor in front of her, rubbing Daisy’s head as she jumps into his lap. “Yeah, but she also didn’t correct me when I assumed the reason she trusted you was because she got into your head. She’s sneaky like that.”

 

“Oh,” Maria says, gaze drifting around the room, settling on nothing in particular until she gets back to Michael. “She’s not seeing anyone else?” Michael shakes his head and she lets out a slow breath. “Okay, so what do I do now?”

 

“Despite the fact that now I know you’re talking about my sister,” he says, eyebrows coming together in disgust. He does not need to think about his best friend and his sister like that. “My advice hasn’t changed. Tell her how you feel and ask for what you want. It’s the only way to be sure, trust me.”

 

“Yeah,” she says, nodding. Her tears have stopped and her breathing is more steady. She looks around the airstream again and her eyes fall on the piles of clothes on his bed. “Are you in the middle of some very late spring cleaning or something?”

 

He follows her gaze and his heart stops. “Oh shit,” he says, pulling out his phone to check the time. “Oh, shit!” He leaps up and starts digging through the pile of clothes. “I need to get changed still.”

 

Daisy starts barking, running back and forth in front of the bed, nearly tripping him as he searches for something to wear.    
  


“What’s going on?” Maria asks.

 

“Alex is going to be here any minute, and I’m still not ready,” he says, pulling out a dark green henley. “Do you think this would be okay?”

 

Maria’s eyes light up and she smiles, clapping a couple of times before she says, “Are you going on a date?”

 

He continues holding up the shirt while digging for a pair of his nicer jeans. “Yes, DeLuca! Now, this shirt: yes or no?”

 

She squeals and pulls it out of his hand so he has an easier time finding his pants. “Yes! Yes, it will bring out your eyes so well.” He finally pulls out a pair and she nods when he holds them up for approval. “Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me? I would have been over hours earlier to help you get ready!”

 

He grabs the shirt from her and steps into his miniscule bathroom to change, leaving the door cracked so they can continue their conversation. “Okay, first, I didn’t need hours to get ready, DeLuca, I’m just a little behind now because of your romantic crisis.” He pops his head out to send her a half-hearted glare, then pops back in to continue changing. “Second, we didn’t tell anyone because it’s our first date, like, ever, and we didn’t want the added pressure from everyone else on it.” He steps out and runs his hands down his front, smoothing his clothes and raising an eyebrow at her.

 

She nods again. “Very hot. Wear that belt buckle he likes so much, and the hat. He won’t be able to resist you.”

 

He can feel the heat in his cheeks even as he rolls his eyes and says, “Oh my God, DeLuca, you’re worse than Izzy. I don’t need your help to seduce a guy!” Though he does put on the belt buckle and his hat before slipping into his cleanest boots.

 

“No,” she agrees. “The two of you don’t need to work very hard to turn the other’s gaze. You’re grossly in love like that.”

 

“Oh my God, okay, you need to go now,” he says, nudging her toward the door. He picks up his keys and says, “Here, you can take my truck. I’ll text you to let you know when you can bring it back. Now leave, please.”

 

When she steps down outside, she turns around and looks up at him. “You want me to take Daisy with me? Babysit so you can stay out as late as you want?” She winks up at him.

 

He’s torn between saying no out of sheer stubbornness and yes because he knows how he and Alex get when they’re together. He’s saved the trouble of answering when Daisy jumps down and starts circling Maria and barking manically.

 

“Guess that answers that question,” she says mildly. “Take your time in the morning, Guerin. I don’t have anywhere to be until two.”

 

He flips her off and she laughs, heading for his truck. She and Daisy are driving out of the yard just as Alex pulls up. They stop and talk for a minute while Michael waits in front of the airstream, rocking back and forth on his heels. Finally, Alex pulls forward and Maria sends him a short wave and a thumbs up before she leaves.

 

Michael closes and locks his door without looking away from Alex as he exits his car. He seems a little breathless when he walks up to him. “Hey.”

 

Michael smiles, heart pounding, and says, “Hey.”

 

Alex holds out his hand, palm up, and says, “You ready?”

 

Michael reaches for it, linking their fingers, and nods. “Absolutely.”


End file.
